European Night Without Accident

The European Night Without Accident is an awareness campaign organized each year in nightclubs all over Europe the 3rd Saturday of October.

At each nightclub, a team of volunteers welcomes the drivers at the entrance and encourages each group to choose a “designated driver”, who agrees to make a promise: they commit to staying sober. The volunteers ask them to wear a bracelet that makes them easy to recognize.

When the “designated drivers” leave the nightclub, we give them the opportunity to undergo a breathalyzer test and/or a drug test to check if they have honoured their commitment. If this is the case, the “designated drivers” are rewarded with small presents offered by our partners and sponsors. If this is not the case, we encourage the person to leave their car or to hand the keys over to a friend who did not drink any alcohol.

Our goal is to avoid being repressive and negative; on the contrary we always try to work things out with the group to find the safest solution that will guarantee them a safe return.

Why that night specifically?

Nowadays, despite the fact that many people elect a designated driver when they go out; drink-driving is still an issue. Many drivers get behind the wheel, even when they’ve had too much to drink. Despite there being fewer cars on the road than during the daytime any other day of the week, most casualties occur on Friday and Saturday nights
In 2009, thanks to the support of the European Commission, the nightclubs’ owners and the volunteers, we were able to organize this event in about 200 nightclubs in 25 European countries. This night is a unique opportunity for volunteers to interact with thousands of young people. In a limited number of nightclubs, some drivers undergo a drug test.
We have furthered our crusade and since 2010, every European Union Member State participates in the European Night Without Accident.
Staying sober is as simple as wearing the bracelet! So just do it… Because life is too beautiful!